Hub-attaching device.



Patented Aug. 27, l90l.

C a AVm W R w D MG 4m ANm m m m. M M .mm m A. m, JB E U m H 0m 6 5 J 8 w 6 0 0. H N N NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN ALBERT MCNAMARA, OF BRIGHTON, WISCONSIN.

. HUB-ATTACHING DEVICE.

srnornrca'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,569, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed May 29,1901. Serial No. 62,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN ALBERT Mc- NAMARA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brighton, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Hub-Attaching Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hub-attaching devices for vehicles, and more particularly that class wherein the spindle is held within the hub without the employment of the ordinary nut.

The object of the present invention is in a simple, thoroughly effective, and ready manner to effect the securing of a spindle within a hub without the employment of a nut, the device to be of such character as that the looking of the spindle in the hub or its detachment therefrom may be effected in an easy and ready manner.

A further object is to provide a device of the character specified which will combine simplicity of construction, efficiency and durability of use, and cheapness of manufacture and application to use.

In applying the device of the present invention to a hub it will only be necessary to dispense with the employment of the end threads on the spindle and to provide in lieu thereof a circumferential groove or recess and to provide the outer hub-band with open ings or orifices to secure the attachment in place.

Generally stated, the invention comprises two segmental locking-keys, a plate for holding the keys in operative position within the hub, and a lever for holding the keys in locked or unlocked position, the keys to engage with a circumferential groove or recess formed near the outer end of the spindle and to be held from disengagement therewith by the lever referred to.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts,I have illustrated a form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying my ideas into effect, it being understood that the construction and arrangement of parts therein shown may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hub viewed from the front end thereof exhibiting the improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a detached detail view of the attachment removed from the hub. Fig. 5 is a detached detail view of one of the locking-keys. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the key-holding plate detached from the other mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the hub, and 2 the spindle. These parts may be of any preferred construction, and therefore need no detailed description. The only difference between the spindle 2 shown in this device and those in ordinary use is that the outer end instead of being screw-threaded is formed with a circumferential groove 3, to be engaged by parts of the locking device hereinafter described. The front or outer end of the hub carries a hub-band 4, held associated with the hub in any preferred manner, and the outer end of the hub is provided with a chamber 6, in which is housed the outer end of the spindle and its lockingmechanism.

The locking mechanism of the spindle comprises two segmental locking-keys 7, each the counterpart of the other. These keys are constructed of a flat piece of metal and are of a size when separated to fill the chamber 6,whereby any rocking of the segments across the spindle-opening, and thus into the path of the grooved end of the spindle, will be prevented, thereby permitting easy removal of the spindle from the hub. Each key carries an eye 8 and 9, respectively, the eye 8 being engaged by one end of a lever 10 and the other eye by a locking-clamp '11, which is pivotally connected at 12 to the free end of the lever 10. manner as to clear the end of the spindle, and the connection between it and the lockingclamp 11 is such that when the clamp is moved back and forth from its pivotal point on the eye 9 the two locking-keys will be alternately opened or closed or moved to and from each other, and thus into or out of engagement with The lever 10 is curved in such the groove 3 of the spindle. To hold and guide the locking-keys in proper mannerwith relation to the groove of the spindle, a keyholding plate 13 is employed, this plate comprising a disk of metal having a central opening 14, through which projects the end of the spindle, and with two ears or arms 15 to eX- tend through oppositely-disposed openings 16 in the hub-band, the disk by preference being made of spring metal, whereby when the arms of the key-plate are swung into the openings 16 the plate will be held securely in position. At a point near the end of each arm 15 and extending into the spindle-opening there is provided a slot 17, and in these two slots work the eyes 8 and 9, respectively, by which arrangement, as will be obvious, the locking-keys will be moved each in a right line to and from the spindle.

In order that the locking-clamp may be operative for holding the two locking-keys together when the hub is in use, the same is approximately L- shaped in elevation and is provided atits outer end with an under-turned lip or toe 18, thus to engage with the recess 19, cut in the hub-band, and to bear upon the outer side of the band. The locking-clamp as herein shown consists of a piece of wire bent upon itself to form a loop, which passes through the eye 9, and then bent approximately at right angles to its length to form a shoulder through which the pivot 12 passes to hold it associated with the lever 10, the ends of the wire being inturned to form the lip or too 18, as described.

When the spindle is to beremoved from the hub, the locking-clamp is thrown out of engagement with the hub-band and turned backward in, the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, thereby through the agency of the leverll separating the two locking-keys, which move backward under the key-holding plate 13, in which position their inner edges are out of the path of movement of the spindle. The wheel is then removed and grease supplied to the spindle or axle in the usual way. The wheelis then replaced and a locking-clamp again brought into engagement with the edge of the hub-band. In the operation of the device the key holding plate tightly fits the chamber of the hub, and the locking-keys closely fit against the under side of this plate, and their inner edges fit neatly within the groove of the spindle, so that the entrance of dust or grit to the spindle will be obviated.

It is to be understood that I do not limit the invention to the exact construction of the parts as shown,particularly the exact form of the locking-clamp and the lever 10, as this maybe difierently associated with the locking-keys and still be within the scope of the invention. It will be obvious that instead of having the locking-clamp hook over the end of the hub-band it may project through an opening in the side thereof in the same man nor as do the arms 15 of the key-holding plate. When this form is adopted, a cap may be placed over the end of the hub-band, thereby further to exclude any entrance of dust or dirt.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction,operation,andmanyadvantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is 1. A hub-attaching device for vehicles comprising a plurality of locking-keys, means for retaining the keysin operative relation within the hub, and a lever for holding the keys in locked engagement with a part of the spindle or axle, said lever having engagementwith the hub-band to hold it in locked relation.

2. Ahub-attaching device for vehicles comprising'a plurality of locking-keys, means for retaining the keys in operative position with in the hub, and a two-part locking-leveroperatively connected with the said keys for holding them in engagement with a groove in.

the spindle or axle, one part of the lever having locking engagement with the hub-band.

3. Ahub-attachingdeviceforvel1icles,comprising two segmental locking-keys, a plate for retaining the keys within the hub, said plate having oppositely-disposedslots, eyes carried by the keys and passing through the said slots, and a two-part locking-leverhaving its members connected with the eyes.

4. A hub-attaching device for vehicles comprising two segmental locking-keys, a plate for retaining the keys within the hub, said plate having oppositely-disposed slots, eyes carried by the keys and passing through the said slots, and a key-locking lever composed of a clamp engaging one of the eyes, and an arm engaging the other eye and having a pivotal connection with the clamp.

IIO

5. The combination with ahubhavingits outer end provided witha chamber, and a hub-.

band having oppositely-disposed openings, of a pair of segmental locking-keys arranged in the chamber, a plate provided with slotted arms engaging the openings in the hub-band to retain the keys in position within thechamher, eyes carried by the locking-keys and projecting through the slots in the said plate, and a key-operating and lockin g lever, comprising a clamp connected with one of the eyes and having a lip or toe to engage. the edge of the hub-band, and an arm connected with the other eye and having a pivotal connection with the clamp.

6. The combination with a hub having its outer end provided with a chamber,and a hubband having oppositely-disposed openings in its sides and a recess in its edge, of a pair of segmental locking-keys arranged in the chamber, a plate provided with slotted arms engaging the openings in the hub-band to retain carried by the locking-keys and projecting through the slots in the said plate, and a keyoperating and locking lever comprising a clamp connected with one of the eyes and having a lip or toe to engage the recess in the edge of the hub-band, and an arm connected. with the other eye and having a pivotal connection with the clamp.

7. The combination with a spindle, of a plurality of locking-keys for the spindle, a plate carrying the keys for retaining them in operative relation within the hub, and a lever holding the keys in locked engagement With the spindle, said lever having engagement With the hub-band.

8. The combination with a spindle, of a plurality of locking-keys for the spindle, a plate carrying the keys for retaining them in 0 erative relation within the hub-band, said p ate having a detachable interlocked engagement with the hub-band, and means for holding the keys in locked engagement with the spindle.

9. The combination of a hub provided with openings in the band thereof, a key-plate, lugs upon the key-plate received within the openings of the hub-band, and spindle-engaging means carried by the key-plate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ALBERT MONAMARA.

Witnesses:

JAMES G. BENNETT, EDWARD G. BENNETT. 

